Creators of content are automatically given all rights reserved to that content, which prohibits the use of that content without your written permission. Depending on where you live, anywhere from 30-70 years after you die, your creative works are considered public domain, which allows anyone to use or remix them without permission. You can license your work to be included in the public domain if you want to share it copyright free. By doing this you can specifically designate how your creative work can be used. Creative Commons is a great program to do this with. View a guide of chart made for teachers explaining when it is ok and not ok to reproduce work at: http://www.mediafestival.org/copyrightchart.html.
The best way to ensure you are not infringing copyright is to use quotes. This is outlined in the Fair Use Policy as a way to use someone else’s work without copyright infringement. Another way fair use is applied is if you repurpose or add value to an existing work, if you did, it is probably fair use. Check out this great music video about fair use at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tWhKeb-fUQ.
Here links to lists of copyright friendly images and sounds: http://copyrightfriendly.wikispaces.com/ http://eduscapes.com/tap/topic98.htm http://weblist.me/Copyright-friendly-image-search
Here is the link to DESE’s copyright policy: http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/curriculum/copyright/finaldoc.pdf
Social Networking
Social Networking is not Educational Networking and must be approached carefully by professionals. While it is important to be familiar with social networking sites, so that you can relate to what your students are doing, there is a fine line that can be crossed when using these sites. Here are some guidelines for using these sites as educators from Doug Johnson’s Blue Skunk Blog. Do not friend students on personal social networking sites. Do not initiate friendships with students on these sites. Post only what you want the world to see (many things can still be viewed after you have deleted them!). Do not discuss work issues. Make sure your privacy settings are restricted to only friends.
Video Sites at School
While video sites such as youtube can contain inappropriate content, it can also provide a plethora of rich, useful content as well. A lot of districts choose to block these sites because of the chance of coming upon an inappropriate video, which makes it difficult for teachers to access great resources at school. There are ways to use youtube videos even if your school blocks it. Here is the link to a list of resources you can use to download and save youtube videos: http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/neverendingsearch/2008/12/19/when-youtube-is-blocked-way-more-than-eight-ways-around-2/
Acceptable Use Policies
This is a school produced document that outlines acceptable use for students while using school computers. Most acceptable use policies are found in the student handbook or planner, and must be read and signed by students and parents before a student may use school computers. The policy should include different sections outlining computer use, including an unacceptable use section which gives guidelines as what constitutes unacceptable use for students while using school computers. As a teacher it is important you review this policy with students before entering the computer lab and make sure the information is clear and understood by everyone. Here is an example of an acceptable use policy for my school; Student_Acceptable_Use_Policy_BSD.docx.
Internet Safety
A new federal mandate requires schools to teach internet safety in order to receive e-rate funding. This task falls on the shoulders of the entire school staff to provide instruction in internet safety to all students. The state of MO provides a list of internet safety online programs free to use at: http://www.mo.gov/living-in-missouri/internet-safety/. Another great resource that is provided by the Federal government can be found at: http://www.isafe.org/. Not only should you encourage internet safety for your students, it is also important to practice what you preach while using the internet as a teacher.
under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 generic license.
View lisence here
The best way to ensure you are not infringing copyright is to use quotes. This is outlined in the Fair Use Policy as a way to use someone else’s work without copyright infringement. Another way fair use is applied is if you repurpose or add value to an existing work, if you did, it is probably fair use. Check out this great music video about fair use at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tWhKeb-fUQ.
Here links to lists of copyright friendly images and sounds:
http://copyrightfriendly.wikispaces.com/
http://eduscapes.com/tap/topic98.htm
http://weblist.me/Copyright-friendly-image-search
Here is the link to DESE’s copyright policy: http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/curriculum/copyright/finaldoc.pdf